San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield comes closer — median earnings $38,317 against a $93,404 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,351 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $93,404 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,317 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $10,674 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$294,264 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College?
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield, at $23,351 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $2,430 a year, or $9,720 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield graduates report a median $38,317 ten years after entry, $15,836 more than the $22,481 at American Beauty College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $10,674 at San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield, a difference of $5,244. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 58% at San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.